Automobile closed body construction



Jan. 424, 1933. H. J. WOODALL ET AL- Re. 18,720

AUTOMOBILE GLOSED BODY coNsTUcTIoN:

Original Filed' Aug. 2, v1926 oi I@ (yl/4 a@ I l ol lo I i l l @F42 i@ a I f5] @l '.0

o o o o o IN VENTORS f/.CEBEPrJ h/oooALL /YEEED//f 5. FAA/DAL L BY Moi/wa:

ATTORNEYS.

Reissuecl Jan. 24, 19.33

UNITED STATES Re..y 18,720

PATENTI oLFricE HERBERT J. WooDALL AND MEREDITII s. RANDALL, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoRs To WooDALL INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A coRPoRATIoN OF MICHIGAN Y AUTOMOBILE CLOSED BODY (KJON'STRFIJ'CTION` Original No. 1,740,489, dated December 24, 1929, Serial No. 126,588, filed August 2, 1926. Application for reissue filed May 5, 1930. Serial No. 449,994.'

18 201 22, 24 and 2.6, into the frame shown gli' Our invention relates to an improved wall panel assembly particularly designed for use in connection with the interior panels of closed automobile bodies. y

The improved panel is so formed and constructed as to be readily fastened into place upon a provided frame and is of such a character that7 when the panel is in place, the fastening means are concealed and protected and thevcovering material with which the panel is provided hasits edges concealed and protected. 1

Panels of this character are commonly formed of cardboard covered with suitable upholstery material extending over one surface thereof and our invention is shown as embodied in a panel of this type. The panel is provided with apertures opening on. the uncovered side of the-panel which are adapt ed to receive suitable fasteners to secure the panel to the frame which supports the same.

Various advantages and meritorious features of construction will more fully appear from the following specifications, appended claims, and accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an interior elevation of an automobile door of conventional design provided with our improved panel construction.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the panel.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the same line as Fig. 2 showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a fragment of one form of our panel structure.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a fragment of a modied form of our panel structure.

For purposes of illustration we have shown our invention as embodied in a door panel assembly of the character employed in closed automobile bodies. The door is indicated in assembly as 10. It has a window opening 12 and our improved panel 14 positicned below such openin g. A common type of door construction is to employ a metal structurehaving an outer wall 16 bent as at keyhole openings in Figs. 2 and 4.

Our improved panel is preferably formed of cardboard covered upon one side with suitable' upholstery material 28 which is secured thereto along the margin, ofthe panel by being glued or otherwise fastened in place. The marginal portion of the panel to which th@ covering material 1s secured 1s folded over as at 30 and is here shown as stitched in place as at 32, thereby concealing and p rotesting the edge of the covering material and its point of attachment to the panel. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the marginal portions of the panel indicated have been folded over before' the covering mate-lr rial was fastened down. The construction of the panel as a separate article of commerce in various forms is illustrated more fully in a copending application this date led.

This particular application relates to the;k

securing of the: panel in place upon its supporting frame. We provide a plurality of fasteners here shown in the form of stud bolts 34 carried by the portion 22 of the frame and secured thereon by a nut 36. Heads 38.

are provided upon the opposite and outer ends of these bolts 34. v I y The marginal portion of the panel is provided with a plurality of spaced apart keyhole vopenings 40 each having an enlarged vend portion adapted to be received over the head 38 of one ofthe bolts 34 and each having a reduced end portion communicating with the enlarged end portion and adapted to receive the shank of a bolt and to engage the head ofthe bolt when engaged therewith to hold the panel in place. Y

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, we have shown these as extending entirely through the cardboard panel structure. The bolts are provided with relativelyv thin heads which are concealed by the covering material of the panel and are `readily receivable through the enlarged end portion of the keyhole opening.

In Figs. 2, 3, and 7, we have shown the keyhole openings as extending through the marginal portion 30 of the panel but not through the outer adjacent portion of the 5 is shown as provided with an opening 42 disposed opposite the reduced end of the keyhole opening, which opening 42 is` of sulficient size to receive the head of the` fastener as shown in Fig. 2. In this construction the headiof the fastener is seated below the outer surface of the cardboard panel and its location is not visible through the covering material.`

It will be apparent, particularly from Figure 7 that the opening 42 is oversize the enlarged end of the keyhole opening and therefore the head of the fastener when seated in 42 permits relative movement between the fastener and panel while interconnected. y

We claim: f

1. In body construction, a substantially rectangular wall frame having a vcontinuous marginal recess extending about three edges, a wall panel adapted to fit said frameV having a marginal fold along three edges adapted to seat within said recess, said frame provided with a plurali-ty of outwardly pro]ecting headed studs located at intervals within sald recess, said marginal fold of the panel provided with a plurality of keyhole apertures located at intervalscorresponding to the studs of the frame and adapted at their large ends to receive therethrough the heads of the studs, said heads being adapted` to engage the margins ofthe small ends yof the apertures, said panel provided with a plurality of apertures arranged at intervals about the edgesprovided with the fold, said apertures so arranged that one is positioned opposite the small end of each .keyhole aperture through the fold and is `of a size to receive and embrace the ihead of lthe stud eX- tending through said keyhole aperture.

2. An automobile body trim panel comprising a cardboard body folded over along a margin forming a flange on one side thereof and provided on the opposite side with covering material extending thereover, said fiange provided witha fastener opening having n enlarged end portion adapted to bodily receive the head of a headed fastener therethrough from the uncoveredside of the panel .and having a reduced end portion communicating with the enlarged portion and adapted to receive the shank of the fastener when the head thereof is moved out of registry with the enlarged end portion and to engage said head of the fastener to secure the same to the panel, the body portion of the panel being provided, opposite the reduced end portion of the fastener opening through the ange and offset the enlarged end of said opening with an opening adapted to receive the head 'of the fastener to 'lie Vsubstantially within the thickness of said body portionr when the shank of the fastener is disposed within the reduced end portion of the opening through the flange.

3. A trim panel comprising a body portion of relatively stiff material having a rear face andan outer face, and provided with a fastener receiving opening adapted to permit the bodily insertion therethrough of the head of a headed fastener from the rear face of the panel, said opening being partially closed by the outer face of the panel, said body portion `provided with a recess offset said opening but `communicating therewith to receive the head of the fastener therefrom, said recess being of a size to seat the head of the fastener whereby said head lies flush with the outer face of the panel, said head of the fastener being engaged with the panel while seated in said recess. Y

4. A trim panel having a laminated body portion provided with a fastener receiving opening through the rear face lamination adapted to permit the insertion of the head of a headed fastener therein from the rear faceA of the panel, said opening being partially closed on the outer face of the panel by an outer lamination, said body portion provided with a recess in an outer lamination offset from said opening but communicating Vtherewith to receive the head of the fastener therefrom to fit in said recess and to be engaged with the body portion of the panel thus connecting the fastener thereto.

5. A trim panel having a two ply body portion, the inner ply of said body portion provided with a fastener receiving opening adapted to permit the vinsertion of the head of a headed fastener therethrough from the rear face of the panel, said opening being partially closed on the outer face of the panel by the outer ply, said outer ply provided with a recess offset said open-ing but adapted to receive the head of the fastener therethrough from said opening toseat the same therein to engage the fastener with the panel.

6. A trim panel having a body portion provided with staggered adjacent offset openings from opposite faces, the opening in the inner face adapted to receive the head of a headed fastener to be moved therefrom to the opening in the outer face to seat therein to secure the fastener to the panel.

7.A A trim panel having a body portion provided with staggered adjacent offset openings from opposite faces, the opening in the inner face being generally of a. keyhole shape and adapted at its large end to receive the head of a headed fastener therethrough to be moved therefrom to the opening in the outer face to seat therein with the shank of the fastener extending through the small end of the opening in the inner face to secure the fastener to the panel.

8. A trim panel formed of two plies of material, each ply provided With a fastener receiving opening therethrough, the opening through one ply being generally of a keyhole shape and the opening through the other plycorresponding in size generally With the enlarged end of the keyhole opening but being positioned opposite the small end of the keyhole opening and offset from the large end.

y9. In combination, a trim panel comprising a body portion provided With covering material over its outer face and an aperture through the body portion adapted to receive the head of the headed fastener therethrough from the rear face thereof, said body portion provided With a recess in its outer face underneath the covering material and offset said aperture adapted to receive and seat the head of the headed fastener Within the thickness of the body portion to connect the fastener With the panel, and a headed fastener having its head disposed Within said recess and lying substantially flush With the outer face of the body portion underneath the covering material. l

10. In combination, a trim panel comprising a body portion having covering material over its outer face and pro-vided with a fastener receiving opening adapted to receive the head of a headed fastener therethrough from the rear f'ace thereof, a support for said panel, a headed fastener carried by the support and 'interconnected with the panel offset said aperture and interconnected against relative accidental disconnection, said panel and fastener being releasable by relative transverse movement frictionally resisted between them and upon relative yielding lateral movement of one of them outwardly and means permitting, but limiting a relative movement less than the frictionally resisted relative transverse movement of release. y

11. In combination, a trim panel, a support for the panel, a fastener connecting the panel With the support, said panel and fastener provided With interconnecting parts securing the fastener to the panel against accidental release therefrom While permitting limited relative movement of the panel with respect to theI fastener, said interconnecting parts permitting While frictionally resisting complete disengagement of the fastener from the panel.

l2. In combination, a trim panel, a support for the panel, a fastener connecting the panel with the support, said fastener having a head interconnected With the panel against accidental release therefrom While having free limited relative movement With respect thereto, and means on the panel permit-ting, While frictionally resisting, movement of complete disengagement of the fastener from the panel.

13. In combination with a trim panel, a support for the panel, a fastener connecting 

